Gender differences in trauma exposure have been well-established in published research. This paper explored the relationship between gender and its impact on exposure to traumatic events and the outcomes within trauma-exposed populations. Trauma can have profound and lasting effects on physical, mental, social, and behavioral well-being. The literature review identified gender differences in exposure to trauma types, PTSD prevalence and symptomatology, other mental health disorders, behavioral outcomes, and differences in physical health. Additionally, it explored the role of support systems, coping mechanisms, and risk factors for particular trauma-related outcomes. Furthermore, this paper examined the implications of the findings for professional practice and future research. The problem has been significant in the field of education as teachers need to understand the effects of trauma and how to meet the needs of students to help them recover and learn. Through thorough analysis of existing research, there has been an overwhelming disparity of studies on trauma-exposed women. The synthesis of this collection of research created a better understanding of the outlined differences in trauma exposure and outcomes by gender but also highlighted the need for gender-sensitive approaches to research and professional practice. The insights gained from the studies emphasized the need to create interventions and policies to mitigate the effects of trauma differences by gender.
Keywords: trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), outcomes, gender differences, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs
